Saying Christianity is bad for women is like saying science is bad for children. One has taken an entire category of values, practices, history and heritage and made a blanket statement apply to an impossibly exhaustive, undifferentiated category of human beings. Sure, there have been times in the history of Christianity when people supposedly practicing that faith have acted contrary to the faith's core values. Yes, for much of the faith's 2,000 year history, the role of its women has been overshadowed by that of its men. None of the world's religions have fully lived up to the ideals they espouse. And granted one can take particular and often isolated verses from the Bible: Christianity's sacred scripture, to prove that Christianity is bad for women, just as people at one time in our history proved, using scripture, that it was all right for some human beings to own others.
But at its core, Christians are not a people of the Book. We are a people centered in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, whom we know as the Christ. Jesus, in his life on earth, was equally comfortable in his relationships with women as with men. Women were clearly among his followers and participated in what Dr. Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza has called a discipleship of equals. Women were the first to bear witness to Jesus' Resurrection from the dead. From its inception, Christianity was a radically egalitarian faith in which women, slaves and other persons of low status in the ruling Roman Empire were given equal status with men. Even as the Apostle Paul traveled the Mediterranean world sharing the good news that in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19) and there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28), it was clear that there were many women leaders in the fledgling Church.
The problem of the repression of women, especially in leadership roles, developed as the Church institutionalized itself over time, melding its practices within cultures of increasing male dominance. Even so, there are women in Christian history that managed to exercise leadership in significant ways. Helena (255-330 C.E.), mother of the Emperor Constantine, was a public supporter of the Christian cause. Hilda of Whitby (614-680 C.E.) was Abbess of a monastery for both men and women, and was host to (some believe presider over) the Synod of Whitby in 664 -- a conference of Christian Bishops during which Celtic practices squared off against Roman practices -- the Roman way winning.
We are not centered in the particular events that happened over 2,000 years ago in a tiny outpost of the Roman Empire. We are centered in the life of the living, risen Christ as it is expressed through the life of community today! A former Archbishop of Canterbury (symbolic head of the Anglican Communion in the world), William Temple (1881 - 1944), was fond of saying that compared to the life of the universe, and even other of the world's religions, the Christian faith is a young religion, and we're still working on getting it right -- which is to say -- working to truly live out the values of radical egalitarianism, total inclusion, and healing and reconciling the world to God. As we do that, women are playing increasingly critical roles as leaders of Christianity today.
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My dear Reverend, science is good for children because science is good for everyone.
And Christianity is bad for women because Christianity is bad for everyone.
Amen
The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church is another impressive, accomplished woman. The titular head of our international Communion is a woman, and many of the most interesting, engaging, dynamic priests i know are women- so listen to what Mary is really saying: another way is possible.
Thanks Mary. you rock!
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I'm not denying that there is. I've studied the Episcopal Church, and they are inclusive, and welcoming of GLTBQ folks, particularly through their OASIS program.
My beef is that Glasspool is playing fast and loose with the facts, as I explained below. The church didn't start out pure, and then descend over the centuries into some misogynistic organization, as she claims.
The church was misogynistic from the beginning. And that misogyny is written right into the "Good Book", as a number of folks here have pointed out.
I want to see progressive abrahamists be HONEST about what is wrong with their Bible, in its morality, and in its portrayal of the godhead. I want to hear progressive abrahamists ADMIT that that Bible is deeply stained with the human shadow - and that no decent father would treat his own children as Yahway supposedly has treated humanity - and will in the future.
I don't mind the cherry-picking. I mind being disingenuous about why cherry-picking is necessary.
And I have the exact same concerns when it comes to Islam, and the Qu'ran.
So, an honest discussion to you means adjusting the Bible to suit YOUR vantage point on morality, the godhead, and the fair treatment of humanity? Is that what you are insinuating?
It's a big, bad world Otay...one that has existed with these religious texts long before you were here to set them straight. Maybe...just maybe...it isn't about YOU. Maybe there is more to them than just your objections? Maybe more that you do not understand about God and man and their relationship in the universe? Maybe Yahway knows just a little more than you do....maybe? You claim mysogyny was "written into" the "Good Book", that makes me wonder if you are relying on conspiracy theories...just a friendly word of advice...beware of researching a subject from your biases. You will see the brown spot on the grass without seeing the gorgeous garden that surrounds it.
I do admire your zeal tho...it shows that you're thinking...
Food for thought: "... For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man" (Jer,31:22). This transitive verb seems to suggest women will equal or surpass men.
However, it's hardly something to be proud of.
When I told my mother in law, her son was raping me, she shrugged and said to get counseling. When I reported being raped to the local police, they said I could not be raped - I was married.
The police here discriminated against me for my religion and they justified it based on their religion, not law. I know because they had posted the ministers in the police station that they work with. I discussed my problems with the police with one of their ministers and he made it very clear to me the police defended Christian law, not the laws of our state.
My civil rights were worth absolutely nothing. I was turned into a sex slave for my husband's ill use by the local police and if he wanted to tear me apart, not only was no one going to stop him. They would all unite to cover it up - and they did! The police, doctors, ministers, all of them. It was a conspiracy.
I realized my status was that of a broken sex toy, an object. It was the lowest moment of my life.
Exodus 22:18
Reading the Exodus passage, I can see where the people are DISTORTING the passage. We are not in a nation set apart for God. This was written so that the people of God would not be swayed to follow. This situation is different. That verse doesn't count in this time and place. I am guessing you do not live in a place that is specifically set aisle for Christians. You are not in a Christian abbey... you are trying to live your life in the world.
I am sorry. Please don't let your experience be all you know of Christ Jesus. I don't know where you live to know what the community is around you, but know, I will be praying for you (not to find God per say) for that there is healing from the wounds from this situation.
Healing comes slowly, but it does come. Be well, Sister.
"And granted one can take particular and often isolated verses from the Bible: Christianity's sacred scripture, to prove that Christianity is bad for women, just as people at one time in our history proved, using scripture, that it was all right for some human beings to own others."
The problem is the Bible is perfectly okay with slavery, and that's in context. Same goes for its stance on women. Now, you say you are not, or at least should not be, people "of the Book." If you mean to say that the Bible could be wrong, then I'm with you one hundred percent. If you mean to say we should look at what Jesus said and did more and follow that example, I would only wish your fellow Christians would listen to you on that. As it stands, though, the modern churches are bad for women. But hey, at least they finally got it right on slavery.
Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
1 Peter 3:1
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands.
1 Corinthians 11:3
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
1 Corinthians 14:34-36
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
After Christ and during his teaching ministry a woman at a well would be the first recorded incident of a female evangelist.
Mary would be recorded as the very first woman to learn " at the foot of the Rabbi". That is a very important concept to understand.
During and after Christ women would travel with males that were not their husbands. Women would now be educated at the same level as the male. Women would be respected and husbands would be ordered to love their wives as they love themselves.They would no longer be reproduction machines.
Take a look at the women of Middle-Eastern Culture and you will get a look back in time of the treatment of women pre-christianity.
"25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.[a] 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body."
The man is called to sacrifice for his wife as Jesus did for the church. Easter just passed I am sure you probably can figure out what extremes this calling a husband in order to love his wife.